Have you ever been worried? I mean, like, inexplicably worried....about everything? I have. I have an adorable little rescued Yorkie named Scottie who is also very worried about everything LOL. He is getting much better every day living in the loud concrete jungle that is New York City, but that's besides the point. I often ignored the inexplicable worry that I had until 2021. Oh, you thought I was going to say 2020? Oh, no. Apparently, in my case, the emotional effects of the pandemic were extremely delayed. So in 2021 I started to become naturally very curious about anxiety. What it is? How you recognize it? And, quite honestly, who else genuinely has it? Needless to say, PLENTY, of my loved ones shared an actual diagnosis of anxiety disorder or at the very least recognized the symptoms within themselves.
I prefer to delay seeking medical attention for emotional concerns until after I have scraped through every possible spiritual cause and treatment that I see fit. However, in my research I found over 200 symptoms that are related to anxiety! 200+! No wonder it can be misdiagnosed. Anyway, I thought it helpful to list the top 5 most common and unique symptoms related to anxiety:
1. Indigestion
I thought this one was super interesting because almost everyone I know has had indigestion at some point. Me included. But, indigestion such as heartburn or acid reflux may be a sign that you're feeling anxious!
2. Phantom Ringing
I've definitely experienced this and often. When I read that random ringing (phantom ringing) in the left, right or both ears could be a sign of anxiety I immediately paid close attention. Interestingly enough, ringing in the ears also have many spiritual meanings that I'll probably write about at a later date.
3. Burning Sensation
When I read about this symptom I, admittedly, dismissed it as a derivative of heartburn but this symptom is actually referring to external burning. I haven't experienced much of this except for the time that I tried a Caress dupe off of Amazon. That was obviously some type of reaction and my reminder to stay away from dupes LOL. But, yes, a burning sensation on your skin may be a sign of anxiety.
4. Irregular Heartbeat
Whew! Definitely dealt with this one. I used to get the occasional heart flutter when I was dealing with iron-deficiency anemia and when I started treating that deficiency with iron supplements. Strangely enough, a year after I got my hemoglobin to a healthy level, I started experiencing heart fluttering again. I took that as a sign to rest my mind more often and pay attention to my breathing, so it's no surprise to me that irregular heartbeat is a unique symptom of anxiety.
5. Physical Numbness or Tingling
Now, this symptom is one I've never heard of before nor have I experienced. I used to think emotional numbness was a sign of anxiety (I'm still sure it's one of the 200+), but never physical numbness. According to Ameridisability, "These feelings can occur in your hands, feet, arms, legs or face. It can also be felt as physical weakness." The numbness or tingling is probably due to the slow blood flow that fear and anxiety causes but that's just my educated guess.
So there it is! Those are the top 5 symptoms I found. I feel anxious sometimes, definitely more in the past 3 years and I usually turn to music, family or spirituality to treat it. Those three outlets help me but those aren't the only options. If you notice these symptoms, I encourage you to BREATHE (3.....2......1) and pay attention to what your mind is saying. Where is the tension? How is your body trying to protect you? Is it in your throat or on your skin? What images are you picturing that trigger your anxiety? Write them down, speak with someone about them and expose them. You'd be surprised at which thoughts lose their power when you say them out loud. Also, don't ever be scared or ashamed to talk to a trained professional about your mental health. Trained professionals have literally studied brain patterns so, needless to say, they got you!
My final thoughts on this is that anxiety much like other diagnoses is just a word. It doesn't have to be your lot in life. It doesn't have to represent you. Take steps to face it, head on, like the trooper you are! Check out my podcast episode on this below!
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